Wednesday, 8 April 2015

Creme Egg Cup Cakes - gluten free

Easter is over already........ Have you had your fill of chocolate yet? Loads left over? Need to find a way to use some of it up?

If your house is anything like ours, you'll be tripping over the stuff. It doesn't matter how much we cut back as parents, there are always the gifted eggs which add to the pile and this year, my daughter managed to win an additional stash of several eggs (and a very large fluffy duck) at the school Easter fair. She has the luck of the gods!

These little cupcakes are perfect for using up any left over small eggs...... They are made with Cadbury's mini Creme Eggs, but you could equally use caramel-filled eggs, Daim eggs, mini solid chocolate eggs or anything else you have to hand.

I made them to sell at the school Easter fair to raise funds for the PFA, wanting to be sure there was at least one gluten free offering available for my daughter and the other gluten free children at school. Kids with food intolerances can frequently be left feeling excluded from event cake stalls....... Although I feel guilty when I don't make my contribution gluten and dairy free, these cakes were already planned around mini Creme Eggs, so the GF-only decision had been made. (Sorry to all the DF kids...... maybe next time!)

As it happened, my daughter's class was out a couple of minutes late and by the time she got to the cake stall, there were only 3 left. I was told they had been snaffled in a flash....... kids and Creme Eggs eh?

The cakes were actually damn good..... soft, spongy chocolate cake, baked with a mini creme egg hidden inside, piped with richly vanilla'd butter frosting (coloured yellow to match the fondant filling of the Creme Eggs) and topped with an extra half an egg.

I used Kat at The Baking Explorer's tip of freezing the chocolate eggs first to try and help them to hold their shape and substance better in the heat of the oven. Having made lots of cakes previously with hidden chocolate sweets (which haven't been frozen), I reckon that it did make a difference and I will definitely use the same technique for future bakes...... The Creme Eggs retained some yellowness of fondant filling and there was still a good chunky chocolate bite to surprise those unsuspecting little mouths. Smiles all round..........

With all the left-over eggs at home, I may just have to make these again...... Did someone say Mini Eggs?

I am sharing some Easter cupcakes with the following challenges this month :

Simply Eggcellent with Dom over at Belleau Kitchen. This month's theme is a very Eastery 'Chocolate'..... These little babies are made with 3 large free range eggs and a basketful of the chocolate variety too.

Love Cake with Ness at Jibber Jabber, who is Stepping into Spring for April. Easter is synonymous with the start of Spring in my head..... daffodils are opening, blossom is on the trees, the grass gets its first cut of the year and of course....... chocolate is devoured as if it was going out of fashion.

No Waste Food Challenge with Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary. Cakes which squirrel chocolate inside are a fab and appealing way to get rid of the Easter excess quickly and effectively. Just because it is chocolate, doesn't mean there isn't a shelf-life, so share them with friends and neighbours...... It's better for the waistline and they'll love you for it!

Weigh and mix together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, making sure any lumps are completely broken down. Set aside.

Place the butter, water and cocoa powder in either a saucepan and melt over a low heat, stirring, or in a glass bowl and melt in the microwave on 30 second bursts (stirring between each). Ensure all the ingredients are evenly blended.

Once melted, transfer to a large bowl, add the sugar and whisk for about five minutes until airy and cool.

Add the eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly between each.

Add the yoghurt and whisk again.

Gently fold in the flour mix with a large spoon until just blended. Be careful not to over-mix.

Spoon into the cupcake cases (about two-thirds full) and push an unwrapped mini Creme Egg into the centre of each cake batter.

Using the back of a knife, gently push a little cake batter over the top to cover the egg.

Bake for about 20 minutes until the sponge springs back to the touch.

Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Whilst the cakes are cooling, make the frosting. Beat the butter until soft and then gradually add the icing sugar, vanilla extract and milk (a little at a time) until the desired consistency is reached.

Divide the frosting into two bowls and add a little yellow food colour to one half to make it egg-yolk yellow. Gently swirl the two colours of frosting together so that you get an uneven blend.

When the cakes are completely cold, pipe or spread the frosting on the top of each one. Top with a little grated chocolate. Cut the remaining mini Creme Eggs in half and place on top of the cupcakes to decorate.

18 comments:

We're tripping all over those little chocolate eggs here as well. HahahaI love the idea you had of putting one inside the cupcake! Next time, I'll try freezing a chocolate before placing them in. Thank you for sharing. :)

As nobody in my house has food allergies/intolerances it had never occurred to me to take free-from options to school events. I'll check next time they have an event whether they have any children with special requirements and try and take something to cater for them (I expect I'll be back here searching for recipes when I do!).

They look so beautiful and inviting! The cream egg inside is really a great way to decorate these cupcakes.Easter has gone so quickly and I have so much chocolate left (like most people probably!). I am thinking of more ways to use chocolate too.

What a great way to use up leftover (is there such a thing?) Easter eggs. I love that you baked one inside the cupcakes - I love surprise cupcakes and the way you've decorated it on top with that lovely yellow frosting. I'm not surprised it got eaten quickly.

Thanks Ros. I love surprises inside cakes too. As for 'leftover' chocolate, my daughter has so many eggs, she has pretty much begged me to help her eat them (dangerous!)...... I think she is worried that if they don't disappear, she won't be allowed anything else!

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